Azevedo scores again with another player of year award Azevedo scores again with another player of year award (December 05, 2003)

Stanford junior wins his second straight Mountain Pacific Sports Federation honor while Derse and Taylor are named to the second team

by Rick Eymer

Tony Azevedo earned his third consecutive Mountain Sports Federation Player of the Year honors it was announced Tuesday.

The junior driver led the conference with 81 goals this season, and has 235 for his career. He was the only Stanford men's water polo player named to the first team.

Senior utility Mike Derse and sophomore goalkeeper Chad Taylor were named to the second team, while sophomore driver Thomas Hopkins was a third team selection and junior 2-meter offensive player Greg Crum and sophomore driver Peter Varellas were picked to honorable mention.

Stanford (21-4) is vying for its third straight NCAA title this weekend at Avery Aquatic Center. The second-ranked Cardinal meet Loyola Marymount (16-13) on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. A win puts them into the title match on Sunday at 5 p.m.

Azevedo, a member of the United States national team and 2000 Olympic team, was a vital member of Stanford's last two championship teams. He scored a school record 90 goals last year en route to being named NCAA tournament MVP and National Player of the year.

This year he has been named MPSF Player of the Week three times, and earned All-Tournament status during last week's MPSF tournament.

Derse scored 26 goals this year, fifth on the team, and was a key part of the Cardinal defense which limited opponents to 6.32 goals per game. Taylor recorded 172 saves in 25 games.

Hopkins was second on the team in scoring with 45 goals, followed by Varellas (38) and Crum (31).

Atherton resident Tim Kates, a senior goalie at California, was also named to honorable mention.

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